Jean Carmet

Just two months after receiving an honorary César Award in 1994, French actor Jean Carmet died. It was a sadly poetic end for one of the Gallic film industry's most beloved performers. Carmet first gained César recognition for the 1978 financial crime drama "Le Sucre," which cast him along superstar Gérard Depardieu. A few years later, he won his first of two Césars for helping continue the cinematic legacy of Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables." His portrayal of Thenardier, one half of the bad-guy couple, earned him Best Supporting Actor. He won another Best Supporting Actor prize in 1991 for playing the older version of Charlotte Gainsbourg's father in the Bertrand Blier drama "Merci la Vie." In between, Carmet was nominated back-to-back in 1986 and 1987 for, respectively, "Les Fugitifs" (Best Supporting Actor) and "Miss Mona" (Best Actor). The reach of Carmet's acting career was truly epic, dating all the way back to the early '40s. During his long and illustrious career, he occasionally popped up in English-language productions as well.